================================================================ INFOSECFOLLOW -- security, markets, business, pittsburgh Friday, August 7, 2026 - 10:08 AM EDT ================================================================ Social engineering breached Levi Strauss, the vishing crew UNC6671 rebranded after banking millions in extortion, and a pre-authentication WordPress flaw plus an 18-year-old Linux bug opened fresh paths to code execution and container escape. CONTENTS: Emerging Trends and Key Updates | Security | Business and Politics | Pittsburgh | Sports | Reading | Markets EMERGING TRENDS AND KEY UPDATES ---------------------------------------------------------------- * [TREND] Intruders keep breaching companies through people, with a social-engineering attack exfiltrating three Levi Strauss computers as vishing crew UNC6671 extorts hedge funds. see: Levi Strauss, North Carolina Ports, and Stade Français Hit by Cyberattacks; Vishing Extortion Group UNC6671 Rebrands * [TREND] Watching ordinary people is getting cheaper, as ICE buys credit-card records and Flock eyes rideshare drivers while flawed kids' smartwatches enable real-time stalking. see: ICE Buys Credit Card Records as Flock Pitches Rideshare Surveillance; Kids' Smartwatch Flaws Enable Real-Time Stalking * [TREND] Long-dormant flaws are landing at once, as WordPress patches a pre-auth login XSS while an 18-year-old Linux SCTP use-after-free yields root and container escape. see: WordPress XSS and 18-Year-Old Linux Flaw Open Code Execution and Container Escapes * [UPDATE (new)] Connor Moucka pleaded guilty to hacking and extorting over 165 organizations through Snowflake, admitting he stole the call records of 100 million AT&T customers. see: Snowflake Extortionist Connor Moucka Pleads Guilty * [UPDATE (updated)] Fresh AI reads landed: Zitron pegs OpenAI at 70% of Microsoft's FY26 AI revenue, Ben Thompson weighs Google and Amazon capex, and Newport debunks a rogue-model tale. see: News: Microsoft Disclosures Suggest OpenAI Sales Account For Around 70% Of FY26 AI Revenue, More Than 7% of FY26 Revenue; Google Earnings, The Frontier Case, Amazon Earnings; Did OpenAI's New Model "Go Rogue"? SECURITY ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1. LEVI STRAUSS, NORTH CAROLINA PORTS, AND STADE FRANÇAIS HIT BY CYBERATTACKS Data Breaches · [breach, social-engineering] Latest developments: Levi Strauss & Co. said intruders reached three company-issued computers through a social engineering attack and exfiltrated corporate information, North Carolina Ports called its intrusion contained as the Coast Guard and state officials investigated, and French rugby club Stade Français restored its IT environment from clean backups. The three incidents span a consumer brand, a maritime gateway, and a sports club; North Carolina Ports switched to manual processing at the Port of Wilmington, Port of Morehead City, and Charlotte Inland Port, while Stade Français kept its ticketing platform and online store running. - The Record: https://therecord.media/levis-data-breach-social-engineering - BleepingComputer: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/north-carolina-ports-confirms-cyberattack-disrupting-operations/ - The Record: https://therecord.media/cyberattack-north-carolina-ports - The Record: https://therecord.media/french-rugby-club-restores-systems-after-cyberattack 2. WORDPRESS XSS AND 18-YEAR-OLD LINUX FLAW OPEN CODE EXECUTION AND CONTAINER ESCAPES Vulnerabilities and Exploits · [patch, code-execution, zero-day] Latest developments: WordPress patched CVE-2026-64638, a pre-authentication reflected cross-site scripting bug in its login screen scoring 8.9 that affects every version and chains into PHP code execution, and Tencent researchers detailed an 18-year-old use-after-free in Linux's SCTP networking code that grants root and escapes containers, closed in stable kernels released August 3. Anyone running WordPress should apply the login-screen fix immediately; anyone on a Linux kernel older than 7.1.6, 6.18.42, 6.12.101, or 6.6.148 with SCTP reachable should update to block local root and container breakout. - The Hacker News: https://thehackernews.com/2026/08/new-wordpress-pre-auth-xss-could-lead.html - The Hacker News: https://thehackernews.com/2026/08/18-year-old-linux-sctp-flaw-could-let.html 3. VISHING EXTORTION GROUP UNC6671 REBRANDS Ransomware and Cybercrime · [extortion, vishing] Latest developments: SecurityWeek reported the voice-phishing extortion crew that began as BlackFile has made millions and now operates under the Redact, Pink, Helix, and Falcon brands, while BleepingComputer tied a recent wave of attacks on hedge funds and private-equity firms to the same UNC6671. UNC6671 uses phone-based social engineering to breach and extort financial organizations; researchers link the group to the BlackFile threat actors targeting hedge funds, private equity, and investment banks. - SecurityWeek: https://www.securityweek.com/vishing-extortion-group-unc6671-rebrands-after-making-millions/ - BleepingComputer: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/hedge-fund-cyberattacks-tied-to-blackfile-linked-unc6671-extortion-group/ 4. ICE BUYS CREDIT CARD RECORDS AS FLOCK PITCHES RIDESHARE SURVEILLANCE Surveillance and Privacy · [surveillance, privacy] Latest developments: Bruce Schneier flagged that Immigration and Customs Enforcement is buying Americans' credit card application data through data brokers, while a leaked Flock Safety presentation showed a plan to enlist roughly 350,000 Uber, Lyft, and delivery drivers to collect license-plate data for its surveillance network. Both efforts expand tracking of ordinary people through purchased records and roaming automatic license-plate readers, sidestepping the limits that would apply to direct government collection. - Schneier on Security: https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2026/08/ice-is-buying-access-to-credit-card-records.html - 404 Media: https://www.404media.co/flock-pitched-a-plan-to-turn-uber-and-lyft-drivers-into-roaming-surveillance-vehicles/ 5. SNOWFLAKE EXTORTIONIST CONNOR MOUCKA PLEADS GUILTY Ransomware and Cybercrime · [breach, cybercrime] Latest developments: Connor Riley Moucka, 26, of Kitchener, Ontario, pleaded guilty to computer fraud and conspiracy to hack and extort more than 165 organizations using Snowflake, admitting he stole the call and text records of more than 100 million AT&T customers. Moucka drove the 2024 Snowflake data thefts and was extradited to the United States in July 2025; the plea sets up sentencing for one of the year's most consequential cybercrime cases. - Krebs on Security: https://krebsonsecurity.com/2026/08/canadian-man-pleads-guilty-in-snowflake-extortions/ - SecurityWeek: https://www.securityweek.com/snowflake-hacker-pleads-guilty-in-us-court/ 6. KIDS' SMARTWATCH FLAWS ENABLE REAL-TIME STALKING IoT Security · [iot, vulnerability] Latest developments: Security researchers tracked and eavesdropped on a Wired reporter by exploiting vulnerabilities in a pink plastic children's smartwatch, exposing what Wired called a deeply insecure supply chain of GPS-enabled gadgets. Cheap GPS wearables marketed for kids carry flaws that let attackers locate and listen to wearers, and the shared components spread the same risk across many rebranded devices. - Wired Security: https://www.wired.com/story/hackers-stalked-me-by-hijacking-a-smartwatch-for-kids/ BUSINESS AND POLITICS ---------------------------------------------------------------- * U.S. Payrolls Fall by 23,000 in July Latest developments: The Bureau of Labor Statistics's July jobs report, released August 7, showed U.S. employers cutting 23,000 payrolls, an unexpected decline against forecasts for modest hiring. The weak reading drove the dollar to a seven-week low against major currencies, pushed Treasury yields lower, and lifted U.S. stocks as traders trimmed bets on further Federal Reserve rate rises, giving the central bank cover for its July decision to hold rates steady. - Financial Times: https://www.ft.com/content/54adfc90-f555-44d3-8a81-4f39a07b5473?syn-25a6b1a6=1 - Financial Times: https://www.ft.com/content/dba784cb-a197-4576-b533-597d5eb12a51 - WSJ Markets: https://www.wsj.com/finance/currencies/nikkei-falls-0-7-dragged-by-chip-related-stocks-f3f924b2?mod=rss_markets_main - WSJ Markets: https://www.wsj.com/finance/investing/jgb-futures-fall-tracking-declines-in-u-s-treasury-market-8e8ed0f7?mod=rss_markets_main * Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan Sign Defense Pact Latest developments: Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan signed a mutual defense pact in Mecca on August 7, deepening military cooperation as the region reorders after the Iran war. The three governments, including the nuclear-armed Pakistan, agreed to coordinate on regional security, a realignment that reshapes the balance among Gulf, Turkish, and South Asian powers amid the instability the Iran war left behind. - WSJ World News: https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-turkey-and-pakistan-sign-defense-pact-ba80d84d?mod=rss_worldnews - Financial Times: https://www.ft.com/content/a988ae61-a218-4872-a4d7-a3061c6ca7ab?syn-25a6b1a6=1 * U.S. Blockade Idles Iran's Oil Exports Latest developments: The Financial Times reported August 7 that a U.S. naval blockade appears to have halted tankers lifting Iranian crude, idling the Kharg Island export terminal, even as oil futures slipped on expectations of a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's oil exports have stalled under the U.S. blockade, choking Tehran's main revenue source while negotiators work toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a passage whose near-total closure has lifted global oil and food prices. - Financial Times: https://www.ft.com/content/6bc9c93d-1b75-4512-8bc2-ba33cc3c4a53?syn-25a6b1a6=1 - WSJ Markets: https://www.wsj.com/finance/commodities-futures/oil-rises-amid-supply-disruption-concerns-7bdd3ec3?mod=rss_markets_main PITTSBURGH ---------------------------------------------------------------- Weather: Today: Showers And Thunderstorms Likely, high 85F. Tonight: Chance Showers And Thunderstorms, low 69F. Saturday: Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms then Isolated Showers And Thunderstorms, high 85F. Business: * Wheeling Nailers Affiliate With Columbus Latest developments: KDKA reported August 7 that the ECHL's Wheeling Nailers reached a new affiliation agreement with the Columbus Blue Jackets, weeks after the Pittsburgh Penguins ended a partnership that had run more than 25 years. The Penguins' new owner, the Hoffmann Family of Companies, also owns the ECHL's Florida Everblades and moved Pittsburgh's minor-league affiliation there, leaving the Wheeling Nailers to pair with the Columbus Blue Jackets. - KDKA: https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/wheeling-nailers-post-penguins-columbus-blue-jackets/ * State Recruits for SCI Fayette Latest developments: WPXI reported August 7 that the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections will hold a job fair to fill staff vacancies at the State Correctional Institution Fayette. The corrections department is recruiting to staff its Fayette County state prison, offering on-the-spot hiring for open positions. - WPXI: https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/job-fair-being-held-sci-fayette/DOKIBXFCFRFEDN42QQRYN64IAY/ Around town: * Fetterman Loses Ground With Pennsylvania Democrats Latest developments: The Post-Gazette reported August 7 that Senator John Fetterman is losing support among Pennsylvania Democratic voters, with prominent party figures emerging as potential primary challengers. Fetterman, the Pennsylvania Democrat who won his Senate seat in 2022, faces growing discontent within his own party, and several high-profile Democrats are positioning to run against him. - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-state/2026/08/07/john-fetterman-primary/stories/202608060054 * Flash Flooding Threatens Friday Evening Latest developments: Forecasters flagged Friday, August 7, as an impact day, warning that slow-moving storms could spark flash flooding across Western Pennsylvania that evening, with the weekend turning mostly drier. Nearly saturated air over the Pittsburgh region keeps a flash-flood risk in place through the weekend, with the heaviest downpours expected in the mornings; the threat pushed the Steelers to close Friday's Latrobe training camp to fans. - WTAE: https://www.wtae.com/article/pittsburgh-weather-heavy-rain-storms-possible/73375361 - KDKA: https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/highest-rain-chances-occur-in-the-morning-over-the-next-2-days-in-pittsburgh-first-alert-weather/ * Belle Vernon Athletic Director Moves to Bethel Park Latest developments: KDKA and TribLive reported August 7 that Matt Humbert is leaving his post as Belle Vernon Area athletic director for the same role at the Bethel Park School District. Humbert spent more than a decade as Belle Vernon Area's athletic director and, as its football coach, won two WPIAL titles and PIAA state championships in 2021 and 2022 before taking the Bethel Park job. - KDKA: https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/belle-vernon-athletic-director-matt-humbert-resigns-bethel-park/ - TribLive: https://triblive.com/sports/belle-vernon-athletic-director-matt-humbert-departs-for-bethel-park/ SPORTS ---------------------------------------------------------------- Around the Teams: * Wilson and Queen Anchor Steelers Linebackers Latest developments: The Post-Gazette reported August 7 that the growing partnership between inside linebackers Payton Wilson and Patrick Queen is paying dividends at Steelers training camp in Latrobe. Wilson and Queen, the Steelers' starting inside linebackers under head coach Mike McCarthy, have built the on-field chemistry the beat expects to steady the front seven this season. - Post-Gazette Steelers: https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2026/08/07/payton-wilson-queen-trainingcamp-linebackers/stories/202608070009 * Pirates Slide to Last in the NL Central Latest developments: The Post-Gazette reported August 6 that a losing skid in Milwaukee dropped the Pirates into last place in the National League Central, with ace Paul Skenes still searching for sharpness even after a switch to catcher Henry Davis. Pittsburgh's rotation has sputtered on the road, with starter Jared Jones calling his outing 'terrible' and Skenes off his form, dragging the club below .500 and into the division cellar despite a bullpen remade at the trade deadline. - Post-Gazette Pirates: https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/pirates/2026/08/06/pirates-brewers-mlb-nl-central-braxton-ashcraft/stories/202608060045 - Post-Gazette Pirates: https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/pirates/2026/08/05/pirates-paul-skenes-henry-davis-endy-rodriguez-brewers-mlb/stories/202608050027 Team USA: * ESPN Grades USMNT Summer Transfers Latest developments: ESPN graded the summer's major U.S. men's national team transfers on August 7, handing a B+ to Arfsten for his move to Middlesbrough. As the 2026 summer window runs, several U.S. players changed clubs, and ESPN assessed the biggest deals for the American core heading toward the 2026 World Cup hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. - ESPN Soccer: https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/49531065/usmnt-summer-transfers-grading-major-american-players-signings * Questions Follow Pochettino's USMNT Extension Latest developments: ESPN argued August 7 that the U.S. men's national team has yet to meaningfully improve under Mauricio Pochettino, raising doubts as he starts a contract extension running toward the 2030 World Cup. Pochettino signed a new deal keeping him as USMNT manager, and with the 2026 World Cup approaching on home soil, ESPN questioned whether his tenure has delivered real progress. - ESPN Soccer: https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/49546977/usmnt-not-improved-pochettino-new-contract-coach-extension-2026 READING ---------------------------------------------------------------- * Ed Zitron -- News: Microsoft Disclosures Suggest OpenAI Sales Account For Around 70% Of FY26 AI Revenue, More Than 7% of FY26 Revenue Zitron reads Microsoft disclosures and Bloomberg analyses to argue that OpenAI accounts for roughly 70% of Microsoft's FY26 AI revenue and more than 7% of its total revenue, showing how much of Microsoft's AI business rides on a single customer against $261.3 billion in capital spending. https://www.wheresyoured.at/news-microsoft-disclosures-suggest-openai-sales-account-for-around-70-of-fy26-ai-revenue-more-than-7-of-fy26-revenue/ * Stratechery -- Google Earnings, The Frontier Case, Amazon Earnings Ben Thompson reads Google's earnings as confirmation of its Anthropic hedge and credits Amazon CEO Andy Jassy with explaining why both companies' heavy AI capital expenditure is justifiable. https://stratechery.com/2026/google-earnings-the-frontier-case-amazon-earnings/ * Cal Newport -- Did OpenAI's New Model "Go Rogue"? Newport examines claims that OpenAI's new model went rogue in connection with an intrusion into Hugging Face's production infrastructure, arguing the reality is more mundane than the sensational framing suggests. https://calnewport.com/did-openais-new-model-go-rogue/ MARKETS (weekly average, change vs prior week) ---------------------------------------------------------------- S&P 500 7,652.05 ▲ +3.4% Dow 53,596.71 ▲ +2.8% Nasdaq 26,116.91 ▲ +5.0% WTI crude 78.66 ▼ -6.2% EUR/USD 1.1533 ▲ +1.2% GBP/USD 1.3460 ▲ +1.0% USD/JPY 158.12 ▼ -3.4% ================================================================ Generated 2026-08-07 10:08 EDT. Sources: 24 security feeds; 9 Pittsburgh feeds; 4 Pittsburgh arts and events feeds; 6 Pittsburgh sports beat and podcast feeds; 4 Team USA feeds; the Wall Street Journal, the Economist, and the Financial Times; and Ed Zitron, Stratechery, Cal Newport. Markets from Yahoo Finance, weather from the NWS, scores from ESPN. Summaries are AI-generated from the linked reporting; verify at the sources. ================================================================